Band saw shielding device of band sawing machine

ABSTRACT

A band saw shielding device is linked with an elevation guiding set of a band sawing machine comprising a wheel on which the band saw runs, and a stop portion. The shielding device comprises a main housing fastened with the elevation guiding set and having a front plate with a hollowed portion, a position confining portion disposed longitudinally and a band replacing slot, a receiving space formed in the center thereof for receiving the band saw; a movable cover having a slide plate disposed slidably at the position confining portion of the main housing, a stop edge connected with the slide plate and stopped by the stop portion of the band sawing machine. The shielding device cooperates with the elevation guiding set to surround the band saw, so as to prevent the band saw from being a safety hazard. The wheel is still received in the hollowed portion without interference when the main housing is raised.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a band sawing machine, andmore particularly to a band saw shielding device of the band sawingmachine.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The conventional band sawing machine is generally operated in a constantspace such that the band saw is exposed for a predetermined length tofacilitate the controlling of elevation of the elevation guide set ofthe band saw, so as to cut materials various in thickness.

As the thicker material is cut, the exposed portion of the band saw islonger and is in the state of operation. As a result, a machine operatoris vulnerable to injuries.

Certain conventional machines are provided with a protective device forshielding the band saw. In the process that the device is raised, oneside of the top of the device comes in contact with the outer peripheryof the wheel, thereby resulting in limitation of the elevation range ofthe device. As a result, the sawing height or thickness is substantiallyreduced to call for the elevation adjustment of the band saw. Such anelevation adjustment of the band saw is often a source of inconvenienceto the machine operator.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is the primary objective of the present invention to provide a bandsawing machine with a band saw shielding device capable of protectingthe machine operator against injuries caused by the band saw inoperation.

It is another objective of the present invention to provide a bandsawing machine with a band saw shielding device which is designed tocooperate with the machine platform elevation device, therebysimplifying the structure of the band saw shielding device and enablingthe band saw shielding device to operate with precision.

The device of the present invention is mounted in conjunction with anelevation guiding set of a band sawing machine. The band sawing machinecomprises a wheel with its outer periphery being used to run the bandsaw for actuating the wheel; a stop portion located on the band sawingmachine such that the stop portion is corresponding to a predeterminedposition of the wheel. The shielding device of the present inventioncomprises a main housing of a hollow construction and having a frontplate which is provided with a hollowed portion, a position confiningportion disposed longitudinally thereon to form a band replacing slotfor passing the band saw, a receiving space formed in the center thereoffor receiving the band saw, and a fixation portion for fixing theelevation guiding set; a movable cover having a slide plate capable ofcontrollably cooperating with the position confining portion of the mainhousing, a stop edge disposed on the top of the slide plate such thatthe stop edge is stopped by the stop portion of the band sawing machine.

The shielding device cooperates with the elevation guiding set tosurround the band saw to prevent the machine operator from being woundedby the band saw. The movable cover is not elevated along with theelevated main housing. As a result, the wheel is disposed in thehollowed portion of the main housing without being interfered, therebyenabling the elevation guiding set to be elevated higher to facilitatethe sawing of a thicker material.

The main housing is provided in two sides of the position confiningportion thereof with a slide slot.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the present invention along with aband sawing machine.

FIG. 2 shows another perspective view of the present invention alongwith the band sawing machine.

FIG. 3 shows a side view of the present invention mounted on the bandsawing machine.

FIG. 4 is a front view of a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention mounted on a band sawing machine (without the cover thereof)to show the descending state of the elevation guiding set.

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 6 shows an exploded view of the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 7 shows another perspective view of the preferred embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 8 is same as FIG. 4 for showing the ascending state of theelevation guiding set.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As shown in FIGS. 1-4, a band saw shielding device 1 of the preferredembodiment of the present invention is mounted on an elevation guidingset 5 of a band sawing machine for fitting with a band saw 6 such thatthe band saw 6 is prevented from causing injuries to the machineoperator.

The elevation guiding set 5 has a rack 51 which can be driven by gear toascend and descend, a fixation portion 53 provided with two threadedhole (not shown in the drawing) and a guide member 57.

The band sawing machine further comprises a wheel 7 which is actuated bythe band saw 6 running thereon; a stop portion 8 disposed at apredetermined position of the band sawing machine; and a platform 9 forplacing a workpiece.

As shown in FIGS. 5-7, the band saw shielding device 1 comprises thefollowing component parts.

A main housing 10 is of a hollow construction and has a side plate 11, aback plate 12 connected with one side of the side plate 11, a firstpiece 13 connected with the back plate 12, a front plate 14 connectedwith the lower half portion of the other side of the side plate 11 andprovided with a hollowed portion 141, a threaded hole 143 disposed atthe center of the top thereof, two slide edges 15 connected with twosides of the front plate 14 and provided with a slide slot 151, a secondpiece 16 connected with the front plate 14 and corresponding in lengthto the first piece 13, a folding edge 17 connected with the side of thesecond piece 16 and provided with a band replacing slot 18, a receivingspace 181 formed at the center thereof, a fixation piece 19 connectedwith the bottom of the side plate 11 and provided with two fixationholes 193.

A movable cover 20 has a slide plate 21 slidably disposed in the twoside edges 15 of the main housing 10, a position confining hole 23disposed longitudinally in the center thereof such that the positionconfining hole 23 is corresponding in location to the threaded hole 143of the main housing 10, and a stop edge 25 connected with the top edgeof the slide plate 21 such that the stop edge 25 is curved outwards atan angle of 90 degrees. When the movable cover 20 is in action, the stopedge 25 is stopped by the stop portion 8 of the band sawing machine, soas to prevent it from descending further.

Two bolts 31 are put through the fixation holes 193 of the main housing10 and are then engaged with the threaded holes of the elevation guidingset 5. The shielding device 1 is fastened with the elevation guiding set5 along which the shielding device 1 ascends and descends.

A position confining bolt 35 is put through the position confining hole23 to engage the threaded hole 143 of the main housing 10, therebyconfining the left position and the right position of the movable cover20 which is still capable of an up-and-down displacement.

As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the main housing 10 is fastened with theelevation guiding set 5 by a plurality of bolts 31 which are engagedwith the threaded holes (not shown in the drawings) of the elevationguiding set 5 via the fixation hole 193.

As shown in FIG. 4, the band saw 6 is disposed in the band replacingslot 18 of the main housing 10 such that the band saw 6 is located inthe receiving space 181 of the main housing 10, and that the band saw 6is shielded.

The main housing 10 descends along with the elevation guiding set 5. Thestop edge 25 of the movable cover 20 is stopped by the stop portion 8 ofthe band sawing machine, thereby enabling the shielding device 1 toshield the band saw 6 located at the upper portion.

In the front half section of the ascending process, the main housing 10and the elevation guiding set 5 ascend together. However, the movablecover 20 is still stopped at the stop portion 8. The slide plate 21slides in the slide slot 151 of the two slide edges 15 of the mainhousing 10.

As shown in FIG. 8, in the wake of the ascending process, the mainhousing 10 ascends such that the top portions of the slide edges 15 comein contact with the underside of the stop edge 25 of the movable cover20. As a result, the movable cover 20 is raised.

The hollowed portion 141 of the main housing 10 is fitted with the outerperiphery of the side portion of the wheel 7, without the incident ofinterference. The shielding device 1 can be lifted to a higher positionto form a greater sawing height H to facilitate the cutting of a thickerworkpiece.

The present invention has the following advantages over the prior art.

The main housing and the movable cover of the present invention surroundthe band saw to prevent the band saw from inflicting a bodily injury onthe machine operator. In addition, the band saw is prevented from beingcontacted by a foreign object.

The shielding device of the present invention is designed in such amanner that the shielding device cooperates with the elevation device ofthe machine platform, thereby enabling the band saw to move in a greaterrange to facilitate the sawing of a thicker workpiece with ease andprecision.

What is claimed is:
 1. A band saw shielding device adapted for to bemounted on an elevation guiding set of a band sawing machine, the bandsawing machine having a wheel on which a band saw turns and a stop holebelow the wheel through which the shielding device can be raised orlowered by the elevation guiding set, the shielding device comprising: amain housing, adapted to substantially surround all sides of the bandsaw, having a front plate with a position confining portion thereon, aband replacing slot for receiving the band saw, a hollow space throughwhich the band saw can move and a fixation portion for attachment to theelevation guiding set; and a slide plate engaged in the positionconfining portion of the main housing which is slidable relative to themain housing, the slide plate having a stop edge on a top end thereof;wherein when the main housing is lowered through the stop hole the stopedge can engage an edge of the stop hole and initiate sliding of theslide plate in the position confining portion until an opening into thehollow space above the front plate is closed by the slide plate; andwhen the main housing is raised through the stop hole the front platewill engage the stop edge of the slide plate until the opening above thefront plate is opened to permit the wheel to enter the hollow space. 2.The shielding device as defined in claim 1, wherein said positionconfining portion has two slide edges which are formed in two sides ofsaid front plate and are each provided with a slide slot for said slideplate.
 3. The shielding device as defined in claim 1, wherein said mainhousing a square cross section and has a side plate; a back plateconnected with one side of said side plate, a first piece connected withsaid back plate, and a second piece connected with said front plate. 4.The shielding device as defined in claim 1, wherein said front plate hasa threaded hole; said slide plate is provided with a position confininghole extending longitudinally and corresponding to said threaded hole aposition confining bolt passing through the position confining hole toengage said threaded hole, thereby confining a left and a rightdisplacement of said slide plate.
 5. The shielding device as defined inclaim 1, wherein said main housing the fixation portion is connected ona bottom thereof and is provided with two fixation holes for engaging abolt.
 6. The shielding device as defined in claim 1, wherein the mainhousing is tubular.
 7. The shielding device as defined in claim 1,wherein said main housing is provided in one of the two side plates ofthe band replacing slot with a folding edge formed inwards.